Are Paper Towels Bad for the Environment? (And What to Use Instead)

Paper towels feel harmless, you use one and toss it. But multiplied across every household, they add up to a serious environmental cost. Here’s the real impact and the easy swaps.

Why Paper Towels Are a Problem

Most paper towels are made from virgin tree pulp, driving deforestation, and manufacturing them is water- and energy-intensive. Crucially, used paper towels can’t be recycled (they’re too short-fibered and often soiled), so they go straight to landfill, a household can burn through dozens of rolls a year, all single-use.

The Best Alternatives

You don’t need to give up convenience. Reusable cloth towels and ‘unpaper towels’ (cotton squares, often snapped onto a roll) handle most spills. Swedish dishcloths, cellulose-and-cotton sponges, absorb like 15+ paper towels each, are compostable, and last months. Keep a stack where your paper-towel roll used to be and you’ll rarely miss it.

When Paper Towels Still Make Sense

For a few jobs, raw-meat cleanup, greasy pet messes, a disposable is reasonable. If you keep paper towels for those, choose 100% recycled (not virgin) and compost the used ones where possible. The goal is cutting the constant default use, not perfection.

Related: see our zero waste kitchen guide for more low-waste swaps.

The Verdict

Yes, paper towels are a single-use product that drives deforestation, can’t be recycled, and generates constant waste. Reusable cloths, ‘unpaper towels,’ and Swedish dishcloths replace almost all of them cheaply.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are paper towels bad for the environment?

Yes. Most are made from virgin tree pulp (driving deforestation), are water- and energy-intensive to produce, and can’t be recycled, so they go straight to landfill as single-use waste.

What can I use instead of paper towels?

Reusable cloth towels, ‘unpaper towels’ (cotton squares), and Swedish dishcloths replace almost all paper-towel uses. A single Swedish dishcloth can absorb the equivalent of 15+ paper towels and is compostable.

Can you recycle paper towels?

No. Used paper towels have short fibers and are usually soiled, so they can’t be recycled. Unsoiled ones can sometimes be composted, but most end up in landfill.

Are recycled paper towels better?

Yes, if you still want paper towels for messy jobs, 100% recycled paper towels avoid virgin tree pulp and have a lower footprint than conventional ones, especially if you compost them after use.

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